General Question

How should I turn an old children's bike into an art project?

For one of my summer art assignments, I am to create a project based on a bike. Other than that, it’s entirely up to me (and now, you). I saw an ad on Craigslist for a free, used children’s bike, so I picked it up. My question to you all…now what?

This one will probably not be an incredibly serious art project…more like something to have fun with. Though I would like to incorporate the idea of transitioning into adulthood.

You could disassemble the bike and mount its parts on a huge wooden board (perhaps one that’s been painted) in a certain way so as to create a new image with the bike parts. You could also paint the parts in different ways. I did this with a camera once and it’s a pretty sweet art piece if I do say so myself.

By giving it to me so I have a way of getting to class that doesn’t involve walking three miles or paying out the nose for a commuter pass. :D

Just kidding, just kidding. A children’s bike is probably much too short for me anyway. I would personally love to see a brightly painted bike that’s been sculpted to look like a person with a briefcase/sachel/something adultish. I’m not entirely sure how you would do that (it would certainly take those welding classes ChazMaz mentioned), but I think it would look cool.

If you live near the ocean, tie it onto a mooring buoy and sink it for a number of weeks. When you pull it up, it will be completely crusted with barnacles, or maybe just artfully rusty. Instant garden art!